Deal with the Operator (1)
They say the odds of getting struck by lightning in a lifetime are about one in five hundred thousand. Yet there are people who survive being hit by it not once, but a whopping seven times. Reality can be far more absurd than any novel at times.
Maybe this incident falls into that category too.
The Divine weapons, infamous for their abysmal drop rates in the "God's Gift" gacha. Few dare to challenge it due to the enormous cost, but a player had tried twice—and both times, one of the 7 Divine Weapons came out.
Even in virtual reality, Hellfire collapsed to the spot in shock. I managed to pull myself together first and offered my congratulations.
"Whoa... I have no words. The Demon Sword... Congratulations, truly!"
"Th-this... Is this a dream or reality...?"
"It's right there in your hands. This is unmistakably real. It's the reward for all your hard work and bold challenges over the years."
If Rune Paytona boasted a dazzling blade that shone with brilliant light, then this Rune Jesbera had a pitch-black edge that seemed to devour all light. Jet black from hilt to tip, accented by subtle purple on the crossguard. An amethyst embedded in the pommel... If the Holy Sword was dressed in festive bright robes, the Demon Sword looked like it was sharply suited in black formalwear. Uncannily similar in design to its holy counterpart, yet somehow more elegantly antique and refined.
"Oops, my apologies. So many whispers flooded in at once that I stepped away after a quick reply."
"No problem. It's only natural."
Hellfire, who had been dazed for a moment, finally responded. The global announcement didn't reveal the ID of the one who obtained the Demon Sword, but anyone could guess who it was. The God's Gift gacha was endgame content exclusive to kings. Darius had already tried once, so this newly unveiled Demon Sword had to be Hellfire's.
I'd acquired the Holy Sword through what some might call a fluke with achievement points scraped together by thousands. Even so, my heart had pounded with excitement and joy. How must he feel right now? The thrill of gathering every single point from start to finish with his own hands, finally claiming the ultimate prize. Even in a game, it was a moment of overwhelming elation that was hard to fathom—but I could imagine it well enough.
Pssht!
We were sharing this historic moment just the two of us when someone suddenly teleported in front of us. Instant travel without an NPC was still forbidden to players! The arrival was none other than Theosis, the developer and operator of Tayen, whom I'd seen once before at Darius's coronation.
"Incredible. I'm truly astonished. We never dreamed Rune Paytona would drop, and now Rune Jesbera follows right after. Hellfire, heartfelt congratulations on becoming the owner of the second of the 7 Divine Weapons!"
"It's been a while, Operator. Showing up like this in private is a rare sight."
"I was handling other work when the alert came in, so I logged on in a hurry. Seeing Rune Jesbera—which I designed myself—appear so soon, I just couldn't resist."
Is this really the same Theosis...? So different from her public persona.
Theosis had seemed omnipotent, godlike in the game. That's why she rarely appeared before players outside massive official events—and even then, always in front of crowds, maintaining a stiff, formal demeanor. But having chatted with her privately alongside Hellfire before, this friendly attitude in a secluded space felt surprisingly natural.
"Ah, you have company. Hello, Sandro. Nice to finally greet you properly. I've been watching your impressive exploits. Truly remarkable."
"Remarkable? If anything, chatting one-on-one with the Operator feels like I've hit the big time."
"Haha! No need for such flattery. Anyway, it's a coincidence that both owners of the 7 Divine Weapons are here alone—no one else around—so I figured I'd speak quickly."
Her androgynous features made it hard to tell if she was male or female. I doubted she'd come just to congratulate us; sure enough, she had an agenda.
"Other players could show up here, so shall we move to a GM-only space for privacy?"
"Sure."
"Fine by me."
"Alright then. Mass Teleport!"
Placing my hand on her shoulder as she cast—signifying consent—the scenery shifted in an instant.
You've arrived at the Demigods' Sanctuary, Lost Castle.
The teleport dropped the three of us onto the terrace atop a tiny ancient castle floating whole in the sky. Without the fluffy white clouds visible beyond the railing, you might not even realize you were high above the world—a mystical spot.
A gentle chorus of wind spirit songs made the lofty heights feel pleasantly calm, free of harsh gales.
"This is... the very sky from Tayen's login title screen."
"Oh! You noticed right away? Spot on. It's our cozy nest, crafted by our integrated AI SeraZard just for us three GMs."
Having cherished those login moments over the past three years, how could I miss it?
"Now that we're here, mind if we drop the formalities? Public spots or anywhere with cameras make me so stiff."
"You've already been casual. Go ahead."
For a second, I wondered if Tayen's no-recording policy for privacy was really just for developer convenience.
"Haha, have I? Anyway, to the point. Yes, at Illusion, we designed the Divine weapons—especially the 7 Divine Weapons—as game-changers granting immense power to individuals. With fitting penalties, of course. But we never anticipated two dropping so soon, back-to-back."
"So you're saying these 7 Divine Weapons emerging consecutively from God's Gift wasn't due to any game mechanic or setting—pure luck beating the odds?"
She was volunteering answers freely, so I slipped in my curiosities.
"Exactly. We didn't intervene at all. While we built the core systems and settings, the fine details are largely handled by SeraZard. That's why, unlike other games, we devs act as GMs to hunt bugs in-game ourselves."
"Bugs exist in Tayen? Bold to admit that publicly to players."
"Of course not. This stays between us, right, Sandro?"
"...Pardon?"
I felt like I'd heard something I shouldn't, but more than that, Theosis's unpredictable chatter felt like the real forbidden glimpse. The genius operator etched in my mind as a monumental figure... was this her true self?
"As you know, Illusion's stock skyrocketed right after the Holy Sword drop. Huge impact, plastered across news—drawing new investors. But lately, it's plummeting. Any idea why?"
"No clue. I didn't even know about the surge."
Buried in the game these past months, I'd been oblivious to the world.
"Goodness! You're even more dedicated than I thought. It's all because of you, Sandro. Your solo feats have sparked nonstop media backlash about broken balance!"
"Me? What?"
"Yes. New and returning player growth is surging, but critics and news keep piling on the negativity. Stock suffers inevitably."
"Sounds like it wouldn't have happened if Taesung hadn't lost the Holy Sword," Hellfire interjected quietly.
"I get your point, but no. Even with Taesung Group's media ties, no Korean firm dares openly oppose Illusion."
"So the media's right—actual balance issues in-game?"
"If so, we'd have patched already. Balance is fine."
"Then what's the cause?"
"Your skill, Sandro. As a Rider, you exceed our projected top 0.1% by far—an unforeseen variable."
"Me?"
I blurted in surprise as the topic turned to me.
"Yes. The sole Titan Rider being too exceptional makes balance feel shattered. Plus, Luitus is Lord-grade. First of its kind over Soldier or Knight grades—huge shock."
"Ah... I've just done my best with what's given."
"We understand. No sneaky nerfs planned. But we have a request, hence summoning you both."
"A request?"
"Yes. With two nations founded, Soldier-grade Titans will soon proliferate. Hundreds of Titans, dozens of Knights rampaging—controversy will fade as always."
"That many Titans?"
"Scale of millions on one server demands it. From early dev, we tuned for more Riders than PC version—to give chances. Upcoming 'Heavenly Realm' and 'Demonic Realm' updates necessitate even more."
This was bad news for me. I'd expected my Titan monopoly to end, but not at this scale. Hundreds of Titans would limit my solo plays. Though my rampages so far were near-miraculous in any MMO.
As I pondered questioning the new realms info, Hellfire beat me to it.
"So what exactly do you want from us?"
"Another Lord-grade Titan would reignite debates. Before that, could you two disclose your Titans' specs publicly? Possible?"
"Disclose Titan info?"
Sharing meant exposing summon times, skills—weaknesses. I was about to refuse when Theosis nodded.
"Yes. Your Titan data is more game info than personal. We could update the homepage now, but your cooperation first would look better—no precedent."
"Hm..."
Hellfire pondered again. But to me, her visit sealed it. No way to block disclosure anyway. Refusing was shortsighted; played right, a golden opportunity.
"Can't refuse after you put it that way. But you know this costs us dearly—like revealing a unique item's secrets. And forcing updates might violate terms."
"Fully aware. That's why I'm asking in person."
"Since it's a 'request,' what can the Operator offer in return for this disclosure?"